Harris' comeback to Huskies almost complete

Free safety missed 2006 because of cracked vertebra

Published 10:00 pm, Thursday, August 9, 2007

Darin Harris has been gone so long he was almost forgotten. But in a Washington Huskies secondary that seems to get thinner by the day, it would be wise to remember his name.

Harris came to Washington in 2004 as a highly touted local product from Decatur High School. He jumped right in, playing in 10 of 11 games at strong safety. The next season, he started four games at safety and cornerback and notched 20 tackles, forced a fumble and had an interception. Then his back started to hurt.

"I had hurt for a long time, but I just thought it was from playing college football, from being a long season," he said.

But his hips kept popping out of joint, too. After a visit to a chiropractor and intensifying pain, a diagnosis finally came: a cracked vertebra.

The rehabilitation required complete rest. It proved too much for Harris.

"The doctor said a lot of NFL players crack vertebrae," Harris said. "It was not a big deal and I wasn't too worried.

"I kept trying to come back too fast, kept trying to run on it when I wasn't supposed to. It was mostly my fault."

He would run. He would play seven-on-seven. Until it kept hurting.

Coaches finally pulled the plug on Harris. They wouldn't even let him come to fall camp in 2006, forcing him to join the team once classes began.

At that point, it was decided Harris would miss the season and take the redshirt year.

He diligently attended defensive meetings last year and took part in every special teams class. And he sat in the stands during home games.

"It was weird," he said. "Everything at the beginning of last season starting going good. I remember at Oklahoma, (former running back) Kenny James busting for that touchdown."

Harris wasn't on the trip. He was coaching a youth team, the Rainier Eagles, in their first game of the season. Harris said former teammate Josh Okoebor text-messaged him what was happening.

Harris finally was cleared to play right before spring practice in April.

For a guy who just wanted to run, Harris found that to be difficult.

But he didn't stop working.

He ran and lifted all summer. He even added a voluntary regimen at the Bumble Bee Boxing Gym.

Now he finds himself in a battle with Mesphin Forrester for the strong safety position he was forced to relinquish.

"I think he is different," coach Tyrone Willingham said. "I think he's a little more confident about what he is doing. I think the spring was rough because you're never sure physically where you are when you come back after you sit out that long. You're kind of hesitant about using your body, about throwing yourself in there, about being involved."

Harris said he might be in the best shape of his life and that could be a good thing for the maligned secondary.